HOW TO BUD AND GRAFT. 49 



stock, thus giving it more work to do to heal over its cuts 

 just at the time when its full energies are needed in the 

 proper sustenance of its foster child; and therefore we 

 would advise the adoption of the French method, and the 

 cutting away of the major part of the stock after the graft 

 has taken firm hold, not before. 



"Cleft" grafting is next in order. Here the head of 

 the branch or stock is cut off obliquely, and then the 

 sloped part cut horizontally to its middle; then, with a 

 sharp knife or chisel, which latter is best, a cleft two inches 

 deep is made in the crown downward, at right angles to 

 the sloped part. Be very careful here not to injure the 

 pith, or yours is "love's labor lost." Leave the knife or 

 chisel placed horizontally in the base of the cleft to keep 

 it open, and take up your scion ; now with a sharp knife 

 cut its extremity for an inch and a half in the shape of a 

 wedge, leaving it about an eighth of an inch thicker on 

 the outer or bark side, and bringing it to a finer edge on 

 the inner side; and now you are all ready to slip your 

 scion down into the cleft as deep as the wedge you have 

 cut one and a half inches this done, with the thicker or 

 bark edge placed very carefully even with the inner bark 

 of the stock, draw out your knife from the cleft below it, 

 and you will be surprised to see how closely and firmly the 

 scion is held. Two or three scions may be inserted in this 

 way into the same stock in separate clefts, the whole being 

 tightly wrapped and closed up. 



" Crown" grafting is employed chiefly on thick stocks, 

 long branches shortened, or headed-down trees, and as 

 many as a dozen scions may be used if desired. First you 

 saw off the head of stock or branch as level as may be and 

 pare off the surface smooth; then cut one side of your 

 scions flat and sloping, one and a half inches long, making 

 a little horizontal cut or shoulder at the top to rest on the 



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